


Take Me Out Into The Black (The Aftermath Is Secondary)

by CaseyBenSullivan



Category: Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (Album), Firefly, My Chemical Romance
Genre: Crossover, Fanart Welcome, M/M, On the Run, Podfic Welcome, Suspense, Waycest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-14
Updated: 2010-10-14
Packaged: 2017-11-11 02:19:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/473374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaseyBenSullivan/pseuds/CaseyBenSullivan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mikey's promising future as a doctor is put on hold when he comes to suspect that his younger brother is being mistreated at the prestigious Alliance university where he presides. Mikey risks his own future to save Gerard's by hiring a team of zonerunners to break him out. Once Gerard is freed, though, it's up to Mikey to get them both to safety, which may prove more difficult than Mikey ever realized.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take Me Out Into The Black (The Aftermath Is Secondary)

**Author's Note:**

> **Spoilers:** for "Serenity", also known as episodes 111  & 112 of Firefly. Direct quotes from this episode were taken from [here](http://firefly.shriftweb.org/scripts/111.shtml).
> 
> **Warning:** This piece of fiction contains one explicit sexual scene between a 15-year-old teenager and his older brother of unspecified age. If this bothers you, do not read.

It's a shock to look into the portable cryochamber and see his brother, naked and pale, curled up in a protective fetal position. Mikey wonders if Gerard was like this when they found him, or if they positioned his body like that after knocking him out.

The guy in charge closes the lid before Mikey really has a chance to take it all in. He's scared and he's happy all at once, relieved that Gerard's away from the Alliance, away from the people who were hurting him in the Academy. The problem is, this is only the beginning. Now they have to somehow survive in the dust and space of the unknown 'verse.

Apart from his job in Battery City, this is Mikey's first time away from home. And considering the fact that he's now a traitor, and any attempt to contact his parents will likely result in his and Gerard's capture and maybe even execution, it's Mikey's last time away from home, too. Add to that the fact that Gerard is completely unconscious, Mikey is effectively on his own.

He doesn't just have to look out for himself now; he has to take care of Gerard, too. They have to get as far away from the central planets as possible, even though the idea of the border planets makes him uneasy. He was raised on the belief that the central planets were safe, were home. The border planets are where poverty and crime thrive.

"What do I do with him?" he asks, trying to process everything. Not only does he have to get them somewhere safe, he has to bring Gerard with him and protect him along the way. Eventually, Gerard is going to wake up. Mikey doesn't know if that will make things harder or easier.

"Open the chamber in about a week. Make sure he wakes up slowly. His body needs time to adjust to the change in temperature and his mind..." The man trails off, but Mikey knows what he was going to say. His mind needs time to adjust too, but it probably won't. His mind is fucked from all the damn experiments they've done on him.

"But where do I go? What's safe?" he asks, tilting his head down to look at the chamber. He places his hand tenderly on the lid, as if he can protect his brother with that one touch. But he knows he can't; knows it's time to hit the gas and run. If anyone can give him some good advice, it's a zonerunner.

"Sorry, kid. That's your problem now." The man looks genuinely apologetic, but Mikey can tell he's itching to get to his next job, his next adventure. Running the zones means not stopping after you've finished a job; the mission is primary. The aftermath is secondary. "You got the rest of my pay?"

"Yeah, yeah, it's right here." Mikey fumbles the money out of his pocket and hands it over. He still has some cash left over, but not much. He's going to have to be careful with it.

"Thanks," says the zonerunner. He flashes Mikey a crooked grin and parts with some words of wisdom: "Remember, kid, the future is bulletproof. Now go control your destiny."

Mikey shields his eyes from the sun.

***

_"Zap! Zap zap zap!"_

_Gerard's enthusiastic young voice cuts through Mikey's thoughts. He turns to watch his little brother play instead of focusing on his homework, abandoning math for a game of zonerunners-and-reavers._

_"Mikey, they're catching up to us! We have to get away!"_

_"Oh yeah? Who's catching up to us?" Mikey asks, putting down his sourcepad. Gerard leaps over the back of the couch, landing beside him._

_"The reavers," Gerard whispers, his eyes comically wide. "We have to outmaneuver them or else they'll board our ship and rape us to death and wear our flesh as their_ clothes _."_

_Mikey frowns. "Aren't you a little young to be listening to those kinds of stories?" he asks, concerned - and hopeful - that Gerard doesn't know what he's talking about._

_"You're never too young to know the dangers of the 'verse," Gerard declares solemnly. He then curls up in Mikey's lap, winding his arms around his brother's shoulders. "Will you kill me, brother, before they get to us? So I won't have to endure their torture?"_

_"Nobody's going to get you," Mikey whispers, running his fingers through Gerard's hair. He knows it's only a game, but it's such a sinister game, and too scary even for Mikey. He doesn't know why Gerard thinks it's fun to think up such tales. "We're safe, right here. As long as we're here, we'll be safe."_

***

It takes him a good fifteen minutes to leave Gerard. He would bring Gerard if he could, but the cryochamber doesn't have wheels and Mikey doesn't have transport. Which means he's anxious to find a suitable vessel as soon as possible, even though he doesn't know how he can trust anyone on this Godforsaken planet. He's going to have to put his and Gerard's safety in the hands of a stranger. Mikey just hopes he can trust his gut.

Persephone is crowded with people and ships, rundown shops on the side of the road offering respite from the heat and the sand. Mikey's spent his life in relative luxury, and he isn't used to the grittiness and griminess of a planet made of sand. He has to blink away the fine particles and squint through the sun, all the while fretting about Gerard. 

Shipowners try to lure him onto their boats, but Mikey is wary of just about everyone. The smallest things set off his suspicions, and he's starting to think he's never going to find a safe haven when he spots a bearded guy on the ramp of a Firefly. The ship is well-worn and rusting in some places, but there's something about her that seems sturdy and trustworthy. Just like the man sitting in the lawn chair, shaded under a gray umbrella. There's something in his eyes that makes Mikey think he can trust him.

"She's a beauty," he says, stopping to gaze at the ship. Mikey's never really been a shiphead, but the aesthetic of the Firefly captures his imagination. It's like something out of Gerard's drawings from when he was a boy.

"That she is," the man agrees reverently, and Mikey immediately senses the bond he has with his ship. The man is solid and steady, his gaze never wavering from Mikey's except to gaze at the Firefly. He's steady, not shifty. Not trying too hard to be charming or appealling, just sitting there giving Mikey time to take it all in. "You lookin' for a ride, space traveler?"

"Yes. Yes I am," Mikey says, after only a few seconds' hesitation. He steps forward and offers his hand, instantly comforted by the warmth of this stranger's hand closing around his. "Michael James. But you can call me Mikey."

"Mikey, nice to meet you," the man says, voice gruff as a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. He's got metal pierced into his lip, and it shocks Mikey a little, not used to seeing people with body jewelry. It intrigues him, and that makes him feel guilty. He should be worrying about Gerard, not being intrigued by handsome men. "I'm Robert, but you can call me Bob. This here's Serenity, and I'm what passes as her mechanic."

Mikey meets the short, energetic pilot named Frank, who points out his mule and offers to pick up Mikey's luggage, letting Mikey sit in the passenger seat so he can give Frank directions. Mikey accepts with a silent sigh of relief, the tension easing from his shoulders a little now that they're on their way to go back and get Gerard.

The rest of the crew, Mikey learns, is out on a job; Frank and Bob are hush-hush about the specifics. Mikey doesn't ask what kind of job they're working, afraid he'll find out that it's something illegal. Not that he's one to judge, of course, but he's got enough illegalities to deal with at the moment. Mainly, that he just broke his brother out of an Alliance camp and now they're both wanted for treason.

When they pick up the box, Mikey caresses the side of it lovingly before returning to the front of the mule. Gerard's in there, naked and vulnerable, unable to protect himself if he's exposed. It's Mikey's fault he's in this state, but really, he knows the blame is on the Alliance. They're the ones who tricked them, and they're the ones who decided to play games with Gerard's brain.

They return to the ship just as the captain returns with part of his crew. Bob introduces Mikey to Captain Malcolm Reynolds, who barely gives Mikey a second look.

"Is this all we got?"

Mikey's more than a little miffed, but Bob just rolls his eyes. Maybe that's just the captain's personality, Mikey thinks. That's what he needs to think, because he's got his brother in a box on a ship that's going to be his new home, at least for a few days. Possibly longer, depending on how long it takes to find somewhere they can be dropped off. The point is, Mikey trusts the mechanic on the ship, and he's got no bad feelings about the pilot either. He's not about to go out and find another ship just because the captain isn't polite.

Reynolds is followed by two men, one of whom is muscular and has a lot of hair. His name is Ray, and like everyone else Mikey's met so far, he's attractive. He's also, Mikey finds out, married to the pilot. Visually speaking, they're a very dynamic couple: Ray is tall while Frank is short, and Ray's hair is all over the place while Frank's is combed carefully into place. Ray's skinned is tanned from spending hours at a time in the sun, while the olive tone of Frank's skin seems more to be something he was born with than a result of spending a lot of time outdoors.

The other man following Reynolds has a dark beard and an even darker glint in his eye. The man, Jayne, keeps a firm hold on his gun and is constantly on the lookout, giving Mikey a once-over before shrugging and wandering off into the ship. 

There are three other guests on Serenity: a registered Companion named Inara, whose beauty and grace far surpasses that of any woman Mikey has ever met; the Shepherd, a religious man with unreligious secrets behind his eyes; and Dobson, an uptight guy in a leather jacket who makes Mikey more than a little nervous, although he can't figure out why.

They gather in the dining area for a lecture from the captain on the rules of the ship. The first thing they're told is that several parts of the ship, including the cargo bay, are off-limits without an escort. Mikey starts to sweat a little at that; although he won't be able to open the chamber and see Gerard until a week from now, probably once they've been dropped off somewhere, he had still planned to spend a good amount of time with him. Gerard might be in a box, but he's still there. Mikey needs to be near his body and spirit.

Then Reynolds says something that makes Mikey snap to attention. "Unfortunately, we've been ordered by the Alliance to drop some medical supplies off on Whitefall. It's the fourth moon on Athens, a little out of our way, but we should have you on Boros no more than a day off schedule."

Mikey swallows nervously and stares at the captain, trying to contain his surprise and discomfort. He truly is surprised, because he didn't get an Alliance vibe from this crew. He'd been sure they were zonerunners, doing what they could to survive. Why else would they be on a ship like Serenity?

Another part of Mikey - the part not terrified that they're going to get caught by the Alliance and zoomed back to Battery City - is curious about the medical supplies. Being a doctor, it could be relevant. Maybe there's a way to get more medical supplies on the ship. So Mikey asks, "What medical supplies?"

Reynolds answers, "I honestly didn't ask."

Mikey frowns at that, because really, who doesn't ask about goods they've been asked to deliver? Who doesn't _know_ simply by looking at the supplies? But before Mikey can form a useful question, Ray - who seems to be Reynolds' right-hand man - is answering for him.

"Probably plasma, insulin, whatever they ain't got enough of on the border moons."

It's an educated answer and it actually makes Mikey think twice about questioning Reynolds and his crew. Ray is so calm about it, so casual. Maybe a little too casual. At this point, Mikey doesn't know if he's just being paranoid.

But if they're delivering supplies to anywhere in the vicinity of Feds - well then, maybe Mikey has a reason to be paranoid.

Reynolds shrugs. "Alliance says jump..."

"Right," Mikey says skeptically. He's going to keep an eye on the captain, that's for sure.

***

The cargo bay has been proclaimed off-limits, but Mikey has to check on Gerard. He puts a hand on the side and the top of the cryochamber and leans down to rest his head against it, closing his eyes and thinking of Gerard in there. He wants to open it up, check to make sure that Gerard's really still in there, but someone could walk in at any time. He's going to have to wait until they're planetside.

Mikey straightens up. He's just turning around when he sees Reynolds out of the corner of his eye, blinking just in time to see a fist coming toward his face. He doesn't fully process what has just happened until he's doubled over with his hand over his eye, sneaking a look up at the captain to see if he's going to swing again.

"What do they know?" demands Reynolds, and comes at Mikey to grab him by his shirt. Mikey stutters, trying to figure out who knows what as Reynolds continues to interrogate him. It's no good, because Mikey has no idea what he's talking about.

Then Reynolds cocks his gun, and Mikey puts his hands up defensively, not that it'll do any good. "You're crazy," he breathes, which probably isn't the smartest thing to say, but Mikey's pretty sure he's about to die. And the only thing he can think is that he won't be able to be there for Gerard.

"I'm sorry, Captain," the shepherd says, "but I believe you've got the wrong man."

Both Mikey and Reynolds look at the shepherd, then follow his gaze up to the bridge. Dobson's standing there, gun cocked, and suddenly Mikey has things worse than death to worry about.

"Michael James Way, you are bound by law to stand down."

Dobson is a fucking _Fed_.

Mikey raises his hands higher, because they're already raised from before. Dobson's got a crazy look in his eyes that makes Mikey think it doesn't matter whether he brings Mikey in dead or alive, but they'll want Gerard breathing. He's too valuable to them. And now Mikey has led himself and his brother right into a trap.

"Is there a reward?"

Mikey stares at the captain, but he doesn't know why he's surprised. Only a minute ago, Reynolds was ready to blow Mikey's brains out. The fact that he's willing to sell Mikey out at the first sign of respite is the only logical progression.

"Get on the ground!" Dobson's saying, oblivious to Mal's too-perky voice. Mikey resists, says "You're making a mistake," but Dobson's still got the gun on him and Reynolds and the shepherd are arguing with Dobson and Mikey's ready for this to be over. He selfishly wishes for a bullet to his heart, just so he won't have to endure torture and see what they do to Gerard. But that doesn't happen, because suddenly Bob's in the door and Dobson's shooting him right in the stomach.

Mikey rushes toward Bob without thinking, wanting to help this man he met only today but already feels a connection with. Behind him, Jayne makes some kind of battle cry and then there's the sound of metal sliding across the floor, and Jayne yelling obscenities as the shepherd tells Jayne _You are not going to hurt this man_.

"Can you move your feet?" asks Mikey, ignoring the chaos swirling behind him. Bob looks up at him with glazed eyes which are rolling from him to Reynolds to Inara and back again. Bob doesn't answer, but his eyes flutter and all Mikey can see is the red all over his hands and how pale Bob's previously ruddy cheeks are. "He's going into shock."

Frank's voice comes over the com with an unwelcome announcement: "Captain, we're been hailed by a Cruiser to dock for prisoner transfer." That means Mikey, and it means Gerard too. Mikey can't let that happen. No matter what, he has to protect himself and his brother.

Mikey has a sudden, startling moment of clarity. It's Gerard or Bob. If Frank flies them to the Cruiser, the Feds are going to storm the ship and take both Mikey and Gerard. Mikey's not so concerned with what happens to him, but he knows what they've already done to Gerard. And he's not going to let them torture him again.

Mikey stands up, and steps away from Bob. Somehow, he's calm.

"Change course," he says, feeling strangely detached from his body. "Run."

"To hell with you," Reynolds proclaims, sounding personally affronted. He probably is. "You brought this trouble on us, I'm dumping you with the law."

"He's _dying_ ," Mikey points out, outstretching his hand to indicate Bob on the floor, bleeding from a stomach wound. One of the most painful ways to die, from what he's seen.

"You're not going to let him."

"Yes, I am," Mikey counters. He sets his jaw and glares at the captain, hoping he's going to give in soon. There's only so long he can call the captain's bluff. Mikey doesn't know if he has it in him to let an innocent man die, Gerard or no Gerard. But he stands his ground for now. "You turn this ship around or I let Bob die."

"You let him die, you won't be alive long enough to make it to the Feds," Ray threatens. Mikey swallows, his confidence wavering, but he doesn't give in.

"He'll still be dead." On the ground, Bob's groaning, both hands over the wound on his stomach. Inara's down on the floor next to him, trying to be a comforting presence. 

"You rich kids, you think your lives are the only thing that matters," Reynolds spits. "What'd you do, kill your folks for the family fortune?"

"I don't kill people!"

"Then do your job!"

Mikey takes one last stab at fate. "Turn the ship around!"

"Enough!" Inara cries. "Mal, do it."

"Don't you ever tell me what to do on my --"

Bob lets out a louder groan, this time almost yelling. Inara crouches down closer, running her fingers through Bob's hair.

"Ray," Reynolds says, not taking his eyes from Mikey's, "change course."

Mikey lets out a sigh of relief. Finally, they're going to turn around. He and Gerard are safe, and now, he can help Bob. The last thing Mikey wants is to let anyone die. "Help me get him up."

***

_"Mikey! I got into the Academy!"_

_Gerard's joyous voice rings out through the Way Family Estate, attracting Mikey's attention. He grins, leaping over the couch in his excitement to read Gerard's acceptance letter. Gerard hands it over without being asked._

_"This letter is to inform you that... and your extracurricular activities... we look forward to seeing you in the new school session," Mikey reads off, skimming the contents of the letter._

_Mikey beams, so proud of his little brother. The Academy is the most challenging institution they've been able to find, and the hardest to get into. However, because it's a public Alliance school, it's also dirt cheap. Their parents had looked down their noses at that, but they want Gerard to be happy, so they let him apply. Now, Gerard's dreams are going to come true._

_"I'm so proud of you," Mikey says sincerely, wrapping his arms around his brother in a tight hug. Gerard hugs him back, running his hands up and down Mikey's back._

_"We'll have so little time together," Gerard observes sadly, pulling back to hold Mikey's face in his hands. "I'm going to miss this." And then, much to Mikey's surprise, his genius younger brother leans up and kisses him._

_"Gerard," Mikey murmurs into the kiss. He can't deny that at times he's fantasized about kissing Gerard, but that doesn't mean he ever intended to act upon it. "Gerard, no. We shouldn't."_

_"Why not?" Gerard asks. It's an innocent-sounding question, but there's nothing innocent about the way Gerard asks it. "We both want it, Mikey."_

_"You're fourteen," Mikey points out gently. He pulls back about an inch, just enough to look at Gerard's face and push back his hair. "And you're my brother."_

_"No one will ever know," Gerard whispers, leaning in to kiss Mikey again. Mikey's too caught up in the moment to reject it. "Just let me kiss you. That's all I ask."_

_Mikey has never been able to say no to Gerard._

***

They get Bob set up in the infirmary, where Mikey does his best to stabilize him. Reynolds is breathing down his neck the whole time, the tension rising between them with every moment. Mikey does his best to focus on his patient.

"I want to know what's going on," Inara says, and Reynolds declares, "Well, I'm going to find out." Mikey's not sure what's going on until Reynolds exits the infirmary and heads for the cargo bay. Suddenly, it clicks, and Mikey's heart is in his throat as he chases after the captain.

"No, don't!" he practically begs, but Reynolds already has the box open. Fog floats out of the cryochamber and Reynolds stares down, his eyes wide. Mikey doesn't blame him. He also doesn't care about anything except for taking care of Gerard, but those hopes are dashed when Jayne grabs him from behind. Mikey struggles to get away, but Jayne's just too strong.

"So this is what a man like you would kill for," Reynolds says, his voice hard. Mikey wants to correct him - he _doesn't_ kill - but he knows he could have been responsible for Bob's death. He still could be, if Bob doesn't make it through.

Right now, the only thing that matters is Gerard.

"Please. I need to check his vitals..."

"Oh, is that what they call it?" Reynolds asks.

Mikey snarls at the accusation, straining forward in Jayne's grip. "He's not supposed to wake up for another week! The shock-"

"The shock of what? Waking up? Finding out he's been sold to some borderworld baron? Or, I'm sorry - is this one for you? Because you do seem a little -"

Gerard lurches out of the box, screaming, even as Mikey's rage increases. At the same moment, Jayne's grip loosens, and Mikey breaks away from his hold. He runs toward Gerard, who's crawling out of the box and away from the group of them. He's obviously scared, the whites of his eyes showing, shoulders hunched protectively forward as he scrambles and continues to scream.

"Gerard," he whispers, taking Gerard's face in his hands, trying to get him to look at him. "Gerard, it's okay, it's okay, I'm here, it's me, look at me, Gerard, it's Mikey..."

Gerard's eyes finally focus, and Mikey feels a weight lifting off his heart. Gerard is still frantic, but he's alive, and stable, and his pulse is racing but it's within a healthy range.

"Gerard," he breathes, relieved. Gerard blinks up at him, breathing hard.

"Mikey?" he whispers, and his eyes go wide again. "Mikey, they-they talk to me, they want me to-they want me to talk..."

Gerard's talking so fast that Mikey can barely make out the words. Just that someone's been hurting him, and he can still feel the pain. "They're gone, Gerard... they're gone, we're safe. I'm here. They can't hurt us anymore."

"They can't-" The words seem to sink in, and then Gerard's looking around, his eyes darting from the captain to Inara to Jayne and back to Mikey again. He blinks at the walls of the ship, deflating a little. "Where are we? What is this place?"

_Who are these people_ goes unasked.

"What the hell is this?" Reynolds asks angrily. Mikey glares up at him, annoyed by the interruption. He hasn't seen Gerard in _three years_. This isn't how he wanted their reunion to go.

"This is my brother."

***

_"It's going to be so great at the Academy," Gerard says, flipping through the electronic brochure. He's sitting between Mikey's legs while Mikey brushes his hair, making the black strands shine._

_Gerard's hair is too long for their parents' liking, and it'll certainly be too long for the Academy. Their parents put up with it for now, but when Gerard leaves in a month, he'll have to cut his beautiful hair. Mikey's going to miss those long dark strands, the way they fall over Gerard's shoulders and frame his beautiful face._

_But it's a small sacrifice to make for the prestige and challenges to be offered by the Academy._

_"You're going to be brilliant," Mikey agrees, and dips his head to kiss the crook of Gerard's neck through his hair. Gerard tilts his head back and leans into it. "You already_ are _brilliant."_

_Gerard giggles happily, lifting one hand to push his hair behind his shoulder, giving Mikey direct access to his skin. Their parents are at one of their endless dinner parties, so they have no worries of being caught. Mikey's glad he's finally comfortable enough with Gerard to kiss and pet with him like this._

_"Thank you," Gerard whispers, and sets his sourcepad on the coffee table so he can link his fingers with Mikey's. "Just for the record, I think you're brilliant too."_

_Mikey smiles against his brother's skin._

***

Mikey looks at the crew and travelers gathered around him, and tries to keep calm. Reynolds is watching both of them suspiciously, while Ray and Frank keep having silent conversations with each other with their eyes. The shepherd stands there humbly with his hands folded in front of him, and Jayne - well, Jayne is staring at Gerard in a very discomforting way.

The one saving grace of all this is that Inara has offered her robe for Gerard to wear. It's silky and golden, and clashes with Gerard's coloring, but it covers him up and for that, Mikey is grateful. Inara just gives him a small smile when he thanks her, and Mikey's starting to like Inara as much as Bob. Possibly more.

Gerard is still frightened, though, hunched tight against the wall in the infirmary. He keeps his face down as if he can hide it behind his hair, but it's no longer long enough to do so. Mikey wants to pet him, hold him, comfort him. He wants to be alone with him. _Needs_ to.

"May I have some time alone with my brother?" he requests, purposely using that label to remind them of who Gerard is to him. Frank clears his throat uncomfortably and nods, tapping Ray's muscular arm. Ray nods and follows Frank out of the room, snagging Jayne as he goes.

"All right. We'll be in the dining area when you're ready to come out," Reynolds says authoritatively. Jayne says, "I'll be in mah bunk." Reynolds cuffs him upside the head.

"Well, that was-" Mikey begins, only to trail off when he realizes the shepherd and Inara are still in there. The shepherd straightens up and leaves them with a slight nod, while Inara comes closer, crouching down to look into Gerard's eyes. Gerard stares back at her, his head tilted to the side.

Inara smiles then, and ruffles what's left of Gerard's hair. Gerard smiles bashfully; Mikey can't believe his eyes. After so much obvious terror, it's amazing that Gerard trusts Inara, and welcomes her touch. She's a complete stranger, but something about her calm and confidence must be getting to Gerard the way it's getting to Mikey. He already thinks he'd trust her with his life, and he doesn't know why.

"If either of you needs to talk, you know where to find me," she says softly, still smiling that brilliant smile. Mikey nods stupidly, watching her go. His gaze is trained after her long after she's gone, until he feels Gerard's hesitant touch on his sleeve. Mikey turns back to him immediately.

"You trust her," Gerard says, and Mikey nods. Gerard smiles. "So do I. She's not like the rest of them."

"The rest of the crew? They're not so bad," Mikey says, though he's not so sure about Reynolds and Jayne. Reynolds, at least, wasn't leering at Gerard.

"The crew... they're the crew of this ship. Her name's Serenity," Gerard says proudly, and it takes a moment of shock before Mikey remembers that Gerard has always been a little bit psychic. Three years away from him, and he'd forgotten.

"Yes... she's a Firefly," Mikey murmurs reverently. He's not so much in awe of the ship itself as he is of the memories, which bring back images of pencils on paper in a paperless world. "You used to draw them, remember?"

Gerard nods. "Drawing used to be my escape. Like the games. Do you remember the games we used to play, Mikey? Do you remember how you would always save me?"

Mikey swallows hard. "Yes," he whispers, moving to sit next to his brother. He reaches up to run his fingers over Gerard's scalp, and Gerard flinches a little. Flinches, when just a little while ago he'd let Inara touch him with no reservations. "What is it, Gerard? What's wrong?"

Gerard's face crumples up, and he silently starts to cry. "You saved me again," he says, his voice too high to be normal, "you saved me from the Alliance this time. I thought they were our friends. Thought they were going to teach me wonderful things. But they tortured me instead, and now... now I don't know if I'm really here. I've dreamt of you so many times, Mikey. How do I know this isn't a dream?"

"I don't know," Mikey whispers, because he's never been sure of how to convince Gerard of anything. Gerard is so smart, so brilliant; any explanation Mikey might come up with would be easily shot down with logic. So he has to give a non-logical answer. "I guess you just have to trust your heart."

"But my heart is just a muscle with no perception of reality," Gerard argues, and quietly cries. All Mikey can do is hug Gerard to him and hope he'll accept the truth. "I have to believe my mind, instead."

"Believe your mind," Mikey says softly. "It will tell you the truth."

Gerard is quiet for a very long time. Finally, he says, "They played with my mind, you know. They wanted to find out what was wrong with it."

Mikey doesn't know if Gerard is being literal or metaphorical. He's not sure which one to hope for, either. "There's nothing wrong with your-"

"No! No!" Gerard cries, pulling back so fast that he hits the wall. "No, they can't - you can't let them! Mikey! Please!" Gerard's arms are up around his face, as if shielding himself from something. He flinches hard when Mikey tries to touch him. Mikey does his best to stay calm.

"They're not here, Gerard. They can't hurt you, we're on Serenity. And you know what serenity means? It means calm, peaceful, _safe_. No one can hurt us here. It's just us and the sky."

Mikey keeps his voice calm and soothing as he talks, doing his best to relax Gerard with his words. Eventually, Gerard's sobs turn into quiet hiccups, and he falls forward, into Mikey's arms. Mikey holds him, and runs his hands up and down Gerard's back.

"It's all right," Mikey says, rocking back and forth with Gerard in his arms. "I've got you, baby brother. I've got you."

***

"Gerard is brilliant. Always has been," Mikey says, addressing the men who, along with Inara, are standing around the dining area. Gerard has fallen off to sleep, so Mikey has come to explain. He needs to tell them something about their situation so that they understand. So that they don't think he's a heartless killer. "He finished public school years before his peers. We wanted to send him to a challenging university program, and the Academy was the best one we could find. With the Alliance funding, he would have access to the best technologies, the greatest professors; we thought it would be good for him. And for a while, it was.

"But then things started to change. Gerard's letters came less and less often, and when they did, they were full of gibberish and spelling mistakes and jokes about things that didn't make any sense. I thought it might be some kind of code, and when I figured it out... I realized they were hurting him," Mikey says, his voice becoming strained. He doesn't want to cry, not in front of all these people. It's just hard to hold it back when he thinks about the things that must've been done to Gerard. "I had to get him out of there.

"I had no idea how, until I was contacted by some zonerunners who said they could rescue him from the Academy and drop him off on Persephone for me. I paid them, and they brought Gerard to me... and this is the first time I've seen him in three years. I can't figure out exactly what they did, but I know it was bad."

"Bad enough that you'd abandon your oath as a doctor and let a man die for the sake of your brother?" accuses Reynolds. Mikey looks down at the floor, ashamed that he made that choice. That doesn't mean he wouldn't make it again, though. Reynolds continues, "You've heaped a world of trouble on me and mine, son. On account o' you we got a kidnapped federal officer on board, the Alliance hard on our trail, and Bob..."

Reynolds trails off then. Mikey looks away guiltily. 

"How much does the Alliance know?" asks Ray, looking to Frank. Frank takes a deep breath and shakes his head.

"I can't say. I killed the message pretty quick, so they might just have had our position."

From what Mikey can surmise, Dobson called the Feds and announced that there were fugitives on board. Frank scrambled the transmission as quickly as he could, but no one knows how much information was able to get through before Frank was successful.

"Or they might have personal profiles on each and every one of us," Reynolds growls. "'til that Fed wakes up, we won't know."

"Then I say we wake 'im up," Jayne purrs, cracking his knuckles. Mikey winces at the implication. Jayne turns to the captain for permission. When Reynolds shakes his head, Jayne grumbles, "So what do we do?"

"The job. We finish the job. I got word from Patience, she's waiting for us. We circle round to Whitefall, make the deal, get out. Keep flying."

Mikey stares stoically into the silence. "What about us?" 

"Well," Reynolds says, "if Bob comes through, then you and your brother'll be gettin' off at Whitefall. If not... well then, you'll be gettin' off a mite sooner."

Mikey swallows hard. He somehow doesn't doubt that Reynolds would throw them right out of the airlock. Hell, he was ready to shoot Mikey when he thought he was a Fed. Now Reynolds knows he's on the opposite side of the law, but he still isn't happy with Mikey breathing on his ship. Almost letting his mechanic die probably has a lot to do with that.

"That would be murder," the shepherd comments. It takes Mikey a second to realize he's talking about Reynolds kicking them off the ship, and not Mikey standing by after Bob was shot. 

Reynolds and the rest of the crew start arguing about whether such murder would be justified, while Jayne starts talking about getting the Fed to talk. It seems like Frank is Mikey's greatest ally, protesting the idea of murdering anyone. Frank's not as hardened as Reynolds and Ray and Jayne.

It's hard to process the idea that Reynolds would just up and kill them, though. Leave them to die if they were wounded, sure; but actively push them out of the airlock? If the captain were capable of such a thing, Mikey's fairly sure he'd be dead already.

The fight's getting to a boiling point when Reynolds yells "Everyone shut the hell up!" in Chinese. His voice breaks through the argument, and in that moment, everyone _does_ shut up. "Way it is is the way it is," Reynolds continues. "We got to deal with what's in front of us."

"Mal, you know those two wouldn't survive a day in Whitefall anyway," Inara interjects. Mikey looks to her gratefully. "You throw them out, I'm leaving too."

Reynolds stares at her, nostrils flared in anger. "It might be best you do," he interjects. "You ain't a part of this business."

Inara's eyes widen as Reynolds walks away. Mikey hesitates, then runs recklessly after Reynolds. He's not just going to stand by while Reynolds plots his downfall. If he's going to be left to rot on Whitefall, he wants to know what they're going there for in the first place.

"What business is that, exactly?" he asks, steeling up his courage when Reynolds shoots him a murderous look. Mikey's quaking in his boots, but he doesn't let it show. "I'm a dead man, can't I know? Is it gold? Drugs? Pirate treasure? What is it that makes you so afraid of the Alliance?"

"You don't wanna go down this road with me, boy."

Mikey does, in fact, want to go down this road with Reynolds. The man was dismissive of him from the moment he saw him, and as soon as he suspected something was off, he went after Mikey without so much as letting him defend himself. So yes, Mikey thinks he deserves some fucking answers, starting with whether or not Reynolds is really doing a job for the Alliance when he seems like the kind of man with a crew that's more likely to be running from the law.

"Oh, you're not afraid of them? I already know you'd sell me out to them for a pat on the head. Hell, you should probably be working for them. You certainly fit the profile..."

Pain blooms bright red behind Mikey's eyelids when Reynolds' fist lands on his jaw.

***

_Gerard is laid out on his bed, naked and beautiful, his pale body spread-eagled on the silver satin linens. The glossy sheets make Gerard's skin seem to glow, the effect emphasized by the black fan of hair around his head. As Mikey stops in the doorway, his mouth falling open, Gerard giggles and writhes slowly on the bed._

_"I've been waiting for you, Doctor," Gerard near-whispers, pushing himself up onto his elbows. His cock lays rigid, red and obscene on Gerard's soft stomach. Mikey can only stare._

_"I'm hardly a doctor, yet. You should be packing for the Academy," he finally manages to say. The words come out hoarse, betraying his arousal. Of course, the tenting in his pants already gives that away, but as usual, Mikey's self-conscious of his reaction to his brother. It makes his heart race faster with adrenaline and excitement, both tempered and enhanced by the fear that they might get caught. And there's always, always the guilt that Gerard is younger than he._

_"I'll pack when I have to," Gerard counters, sitting up further and reaching out one hand. Mikey walks forward and accepts it, twining his fingers through Gerard's. "Right now, I want my going-away present."_

_Mikey swallows hard, but nods. He closes and locks his bedroom door, even though their parents are out, always just in case. Then he returns to the bed and lies down on his side, fully clothed and inadequate, facing the genius that is his brother._

_"Relax, brother. I want this as much as you do."_

_Mikey isn't sure about that, but he doesn't argue as Gerard runs his hands over his body. Even through his clothes, Mikey's skin is sensitive to Gerard's touch, his brother's talented fingers caressing him in all the right places. Mikey leans into the touches and sighs, a slight whine escaping his throat. Gerard always knows what to do to make him feel good._

_"Yes," Gerard whispers, running the fingers of his other hand through Mikey's hair. "Just close your eyes and enjoy." Mikey obeys. Gerard's hand moves lower, tracing his cock through his pants. Mikey groans at the tickle-soft sensation, at the shiver of arousal that shoots up into his groin. "Just like that... just feel."_

_"I feel you," Mikey confirms, blindly tracing Gerard's skin with his fingers. Gerard pushes at him gently and Mikey rolls onto his back, toes curling when Gerard lowers his zipper. "You feel so good."_

_"I know," Gerard answers simply. He mouths briefly at the space between the open zipper, obscured by underwear and the pressure of pants against the rest of Mikey's cock, then moves down to the foot of the bed and carefully pulls off Mikey's shoes. Mikey lays helpless, giving his body over to his brother, allowing his brother to undress him. Each new caress of air against his skin heightens Mikey's excitement, his cock hardening further under the deft touches of Gerard's fingers. He's so hard by now that he's throbbing, his cock aching for a touch, for release. He knows Gerard will give it to him eventually, so he waits patiently._

_"Your body is so thin," Gerard muses, fingers trailing over the lines and bumps of Mikey's bones and joints. Mikey sucks in a breath when Gerard's fingers glance over his hip, sliding into the crease of his groin. The surrounding muscles tighten and Mikey arches up into a V, falling back onto the bed with his hands in Gerard's hair. He pulls gently, begging with his hands._

_Gerard finally takes pity on him, head dropping between his shoulders as he takes Mikey's cock into his mouth. There's a moment of suction and then cold as Gerard pulls back, quickly relieved by the wet swipe of Gerard's tongue up his shaft. Mikey starts to pant, lifting his hips and stroking Gerard's hair._

_Gerard flattens out his tongue, licking wide stripes from the base of Mikey's cock to the tip, his mouth open just enough for Mikey to feel the graze of his teeth and the hot, hot wash of Gerard's breath over his flesh. Mikey groans and arches up again, this time lifting his hips even higher. Gerard goes on licking him enthusiastically, painting his cock with wet stripes until Mikey drops his hips and then mercifully his cock is in Gerard's mouth._

_Gerard is talented at many things, but Mikey thinks this is one of his favorites. Gerard's mouth surrounds him with warmth and the slick massage of his tongue, then the too-tight-but-not-enough of Gerard's throat. Mikey always feels like he can't move when he's in there, when he's gagging Gerard with his cock, when Gerard hums and it vibrates up his cock and down to his balls, sparking the inevitable orgasm. Mikey is powerless to stop it, his hips stuttering as cum pulses through his cock and down his brother's throat. He grips Gerard's hair maybe a little too hard. Gerard only moans._

_Mikey collapses back onto the bed, limp and exhausted. The slow slick slide makes him groan as Gerard pulls off his cock, the organ slapping stickily against his thigh. He watches through lidded eyes as Gerard wipes the back of his arm across his mouth, eyes dark and intense. Gerard is turned on, and it doesn't look like he's going to let Mikey help him._

_He straddles Mikey's legs, kneeing his way up Mikey's body until he hovers over Mikey's softened cock and takes his own cock in hand. Mikey licks his lips, eyeing Gerard's cock and then his face as his brother starts stroking himself. Gerard's hand moves faster and faster, skin slapping over skin until Gerard's head falls back and he comes, back arched, semen spilling all over Mikey's chest. It's warm and gooey against his skin, and Mikey runs his fingers through it, then brings his messy fingers to his mouth. Gerard watches with dark eyes, then moves to lie next to Mikey._

_Panting softly, Mikey moves to kiss Gerard and stroke his face with saliva-slick fingers. Gerard leans into it, throwing one leg over Mikey's hip. Maybe, if they're lucky, he can get it up again and Gerard can ride him._

_It's the best going-away present Mikey has ever been a part of._

***

Mikey stands in Inara's shuttle, awed by the color and light in there. Unlike the rest of the ship, the Companion shuttle is richly decorated with elegant silk and even gold. The beauty of the room is a reflection of the woman herself, for whom Mikey is developing a deep admiration.

"This is just the standard Companion immunization package," she says, turning to give him a pile of silver packets. "I'm not sure how much it'll help..."

"It won't hurt," Mikey assures her gratefully. "Supplies down there are pretty rudimentary. I truly appreciate it."

"Is there anything else I can do?"

Mikey looks at the medicine and shakes his head. "I don't think so. But thank you." He turns to leave, but Inara stops him with a hand on his arm.

"Bob's very dear to us," she says softly. "To all of us."

Mikey drops his head in shame. "I... I'm sorry. For my part in what happened. I've never... I mean, I don't know how to..."

"You're lost in the woods," Inara says gently. It feels like a good way to describe how he feels right now. "We all are. Even the captain. Only difference is, he likes it that way."

"No," Reynolds' voice interrupts. Mikey lifts his head, watching the captain walk into the shuttle. "No, the difference is, the woods are the only place I can see a clear path." Reynolds looks directly at Mikey. "What's your business here?"

"It's my business," Inara says before Mikey can explain about the medicine. Even though he doesn't like the captain, he wants his approval. Mikey has always needed approval from authority figures. It's partly why he had such a hard time deciding to break Gerard out of the Academy and then leave his parents' home. Inara continues, "The usual - I gave the boy a free thrust, since he's not long for this world."

Mikey blushes deeply. Inara asks the captain, "What are you doing in my shuttle?"

"It's my shuttle," Reynolds counters. "You rent it."

"Then when I'm behind on the rent, you can enter unasked."

Mikey smiles to himself, stepping out of the cabin to let the two of them have their conversation. He likes how Inara stands up to the captain. He wishes he had balls like hers.

He's on his way back to the infirmary when he hears Reynolds' voice behind him. "You'll ruin her, too, you know."

Mikey turns around to gaze up at the captain's face. What is he getting at?

"This is the thing I see you're uncomprehending on," Reynolds continues. "Everyone on this ship, even a 'legitimate businesswoman' like her - their lives can be snatched away because of that Fed. You got a solution for that? You got a way round?"

_Our lives have been snatched away,_ Mikey wants to protest. _The Feds hurt Gerard and now they're hurting all of us. I didn't mean to bring you into this. I only wanted to save my brother._

Instead, Mikey says, "I don't know."

"Come time, someone's gonna have to deal with him," Reynolds says, looking at Mikey accusingly. "That should be you, but I don't think you have the guts."

_It's not a matter of guts_ , Mikey thinks. _It's a matter of not being that kind of person._

"And you don't have the time."

Mikey blinks at the captain. What is he on about now? "What do you mean?"

Reynolds' face is unyielding. "Bob is dead."

Time stands still. Reynolds turns away, and Mikey tenses up, starts to run. But it's like he's underwater, like he's in a dream, everything moving in slow motion as he tries to run as fast as he can to the infirmary. There has to be some kind of mistake, there has to be a way to save him...

Bob is sitting up in bed talking to the shepherd. He smiles and waves at Mikey, and Mikey...

Mikey feels like he's going to faint with relief and shock.

***

Mikey sits limply on the bench seat in the infirmary, not listening to the conversation between Bob and the shepherd. He's just so relieved that Bob's okay after the fright Reynolds gave him that he can hardly focus on anything but the air right in front of him. He's full of a mix of feelings about Reynolds right now; anger and awe and frustration and confusion. It takes him a while to realize that the captain was trying to teach him a lesson, give him some of the pain he gave the rest of the crew by putting Bob at risk. Making him face the consequences of his decisions.

It's working.

Bob says something to the shepherd that makes the shepherd nod and leave the infirmary. The door swishes shut behind him and then Bob's motioning to Mikey, inviting him over. Mikey goes over, sure that there's a look of shocked stupidity still on his face.

"Hey, Mikey. Looks like you patched me up real good," Bob says, smiling. His smile makes the skin around his eyes scrunch up, showing Bob's maturity and his happiness all at once. "Thanks, man."

Mikey drops his gaze to the floor. Bob isn't mad at him; he must not know what really happened. Mikey's going to have to fix that.

"Bob, there's something you don't know about me. I'm a fugitive," he begins, still looking at the floor, the wall, anywhere but at Bob. "After Dobson shot you, a Cruiser hailed Serenity to turn me in, me and my brother. I... I couldn't let them so I... I refused to operate on you unless they turned around," Mikey confesses, ashamed. "I could have let you die to save my brother."

There's a moment of silence, during which Mikey expects Bob to launch up and strangle him. Instead, Bob says: "I know."

Mikey's gaze snaps up to Bob's face. "You know?"

"I know. The shepherd told me," Bob says, reaching for Mikey's hand. Mikey holds on loosely, hesitant to be too hopeful. "It's okay; I understand. I would've done the same thing for anyone on this ship," Bob insists, holding Mikey's hand tighter. Mikey squeezes his hand back, blinking back tears at the realization that Bob both knows and understands. "Family is a powerful thing."

Mikey stands in silent awe. He's sure he wouldn't be so understanding if someone else disregarded his life in such a way. He wants to know how Bob is so easygoing and empathetic.

"Ray threatened to kill me if I let you die," Mikey offers. Bob smiles slowly.

"He did, did he? Well, I'm going to have to thank him for that." There's something suggestive in the way Bob says that. Mikey wouldn't think about it twice, except for the fact that Ray is married. But maybe things like that don't matter out here in the black. "Tell me more about your brother."

Mikey blinks, slightly startled at the change in topic. He looks over at Gerard, who's still sleeping in his own little corner of the room. Mikey's shoulders droop a little, and he sags down to sit on the edge of Bob's bed. Bob takes his other hand so that he's holding onto both of them.

"My brother is brilliant. The most brilliant person you'll ever meet," Mikey says. He looks fondly over at his little brother, watching the measured breaths he takes in his sleep, taking in the way his lips are slightly parted as he breathes. Mikey has the overwhelming urge to hold him, to protect him, but he just holds Bob's hands tighter instead. Bob soothes him with the stroke of a thumb. "He can learn to do anything just by watching somebody do it once. If he sees you working, you might have another mechanic on board."

Bob laughs softly, his laugh morphing into an unthreatening cough. When he finally settles down, he looks up at Mikey with bright blue eyes and a nod of encouragement.

"He's a little bit psychic, too. He knew the ship's name before I even told him."

"Serenity," Bob sighs, happily. He sounds absolutely serene when he says it. "She's a good ship."

"Yes," Mikey agrees, even though he doesn't know anything about space boats. From what he's seen, Serenity is sturdy and dependable. Good qualities to have in a ship, Mikey thinks. "Do you have any family?"

Bob worries the piercing on his lip between his teeth. "Left 'em behind to take this job on Serenity. Crew's my family now."

Mikey senses a certain sadness in Bob's answer, so he doesn't press any further. He just squeezes Bob's hand and offers support the only way he knows how, even though it puts a lump in his throat. "Left my family behind to rescue Gerard," he says softly. "They didn't believe anything was wrong. Now I'll never see them again."

There's static over the airwaves as the com comes on. "All right everybody, me an' Jayne an' Ray's gettin' off here at Whitefall to take care o' some business. Now don't burn the ship down while we're gone, y'hear? Oh, and Mikey - you keep that brother o' yours outta trouble. I'll be watchin' you. Bye now!"

Mikey rolls his eyes at Bob. "How is he so perky?"

Bob laughs. "Takes a special kinda man, Mikeyway. Special kinda man."

Mikey likes how Bob pushed his name together like that. He smiles.

Eventually, Bob falls asleep, and Mikey watches over him and Gerard. He alternately checks their vitals and strokes Gerard's hair, whispering comfort to him. But as worried as Mikey is, he's also exhausted, the emotional challenges of the day starting to take their toll.

"You look tired," comes Inara's gentle voice, caressing Mikey and calming him with its caring and kindness. He lifts his head to look at her through tired eyes, nodding in agreement. He doesn't feel threatened when she comes to sit beside him, reaching up a hand to stroke his hair the way he's been doing for Gerard. "Take a break," she murmurs gently, putting her hand over Gerard's. "I'll watch over them."

Mikey's hesitant to comply, but the offer is incredibly tempting. After everything he's been through with worrying about and saving Gerard, this is the first chance he's had to sit down and rest. Maybe some sleep will do him good, give him a chance to stop thinking for awhile.

It's funny; he'd always thought it would be the Alliance that got them. Instead, they've been gotten by a ragtag group of zonerunners, who may or may not be connected to the Alliance. All signs are pointing toward 'not'. Mikey doesn't know what to think anymore.

"Take good care of him," he whispers, leaning down to kiss Gerard's other hand. It's a tender touch, too intimate for him to do in front of anyone else, but he feels he can trust Inara with his secret. After all, she's a Companion. She must have seen things stranger than two brothers in love.

"I will," she says softly, carding her fingers through Mikey's hair one more time. "Go; you need some sleep. I'm sure you'll be awake long before they return."

***

_Gerard's letters come often at first, full of his wit and brilliance and creativity. Mikey looks forward to reading about the new things Gerard's learning at the Academy, the new friends he's making, the way he's growing into himself as he's challenged with new and exciting ideas. Then, gradually, the letters slow down and stop making sense, until one day when Mikey gets one that doesn't make any sense at all._

_Gerard jokes about the time they'd been to Redmoon, a planet they've never visited at all. He asks about their parents' dinner with the D'Agostinos, a family the Ways have never met. He talks about algorithms that Mikey has no way of understanding, and his letters are full of riddles and rhymes._

_By the fourth one, Mikey's convinced that something is wrong._

_It's been a long time since he tried decoding something, but he starts doing that with the letters now. It's the most mentally challenging thing he's done in a while, especially with worry about Gerard niggling at the front of his mind. Eventually, he thinks he has it sorted out, but all he can make out is:_

__They're hurting us. You've got to help me. __

_Mikey doesn't know what to do._

***

"You should think about asking the captain to drop you somewhere else," Frank suggests, taking a sip of his coffee. They're sitting in the dining room, chatting as Mikey's body finishes waking up. "Whitefall ain't exactly civilization in the strictest sense."

Frank's comment reminds him that after the job, Reynolds is planning to drop him and Gerard at Whitefall. Even if he doesn't - he might not, because Bob made it out alive - they're headed for Boros, and that'll be the end of Mikey's association with Serenity. The thing is, though, he's already gotten attached to the crew. Not Jayne and Reynolds so much, but Bob and Inara... yeah. He wants to stay for them. With them. They make him feel safe and protected.

Mikey shrugs. "You don't have to worry about me."

Frank shrugs back. "When Ray's out on a deal, I always worry. So... it's not out of my way..."

The com clicks on, and the room is filled with Bob's faded, grainy voice. "He took him... he took Gerard..."

Dobson must've gotten out of the containment room. Mikey can't fathom who else would take Gerard. He's out of his chair in a split second, on his way to find and save his brother. Again.

***

_Mikey's parents don't believe him about the letters._

_"Mikey, this is paranoid," his mother insists. "It's stress. If they heard you talking like this at the hospital, it could affect your entire future."_

_Mikey sighs, frustrated. "Who cares about my future?" His career doesn't matter, not when Gerard's in trouble. Not that his parents believe that anything's wrong, so it's no surprise when they look unpleased with his job-related apathy._

_"You should," his father says firmly. Mother continues, "You're a surgeon in one of the best hospitals in Battery City. On your way to a major position, possibly even the Medical Elect. You're going to throw that away? Everything you've worked for your whole life?"_

_His whole life, Mikey has worshipped his little brother. And he's protected him. Gerard is so smart that sometimes he doesn't have any common sense, and Mikey has always been there for him during those times. Being a doctor... it's just a job. A job he believes in, sure, a job where he gets to help people, but it's not as important as Gerard's safety. Mikey just wishes there was a way he could _prove_ to his parents that Gerard's in trouble._

_"Being a doctor means more to you than just a position, I know that," his father says, a little desperately. Mikey knows it has to be hard for his parents to see him like this, but if they would just_ listen _..._

_"A few months time, you'll turn around and there he'll be," Mother says. "Now, nothing is going to keep you two apart for long."_

_Mikey's going to make sure of that._

***

Dobson has one arm around Gerard, leading him toward the airlock when Mikey finds them. Mikey doesn't even have to think; his body takes over, and he leaps over the rail of the catwalk, landing directly on Dobson's back. They both collapse on the floor, Dobson's gun going flying. Gerard escapes Dobson's grip and backs into a corner, quivering with terror as the airlock starts to open.

Mikey has never been in a physical fight in his life. He quickly loses hold of Dobson, who grabs Gerard in one swift movement. Mikey grabs Dobson's gun and stands up, chest rising and falling with panicked breaths as he holds the gun on his brother's captor. "Don't move!"

"You gonna do that?" asks Dobson, still on the ground. "You gonna kill a lawman in cold blood. I know what you did for your brother, I understand. It doesn't make you a killer." Mikey knows Dobson is speaking the truth. He _isn't_ a killer... but he would do anything for Gerard. Even if that means taking a life.

His hand shakes.

"I don't wanna hurt anyone," Dobson continues. "I have a job to do. To uphold the law... that's what we're talking about here. There's nowhere you can take him that the law won't find. Nobody is going to hurt him. Not unless you hurt me."

Dobson reaches for his ankle and stands up, his arm hooked around Gerard's throat. Gerard looks fucking terrified.

"No!" Mikey screams, cocking the gun. He aims it with an unsteady hand. "Don't move!"

Dobson doesn't heed his warning. Mikey's hand shakes even harder.

"It's your call," Dobson taunts, pulling a gun from his ankle holster. He places himself behind Gerard, using him as a shield, and puts the gun to Gerard's head. Mikey's never been so terrified in his life, but he can't bring himself to pull the trigger. Why the hell is he freezing now? "I'm not playing anymore," Dobson continues, his voice hard. Mikey tries to squeeze the trigger. But what if he misses and hits Gerard? "Anybody makes so much as a--"

There's a loud _bang_ , and then Dobson's folding onto the floor. Mikey turns to see Reynolds striding up the ramp, smoking gun in his hand. Mikey's never been more relieved in his life.

"Jayne," Reynolds calls, and the other man helps Reynolds pick up the body and dump it out of the ship. Reynolds pushes the button on the com, his voice filling the ship. "C'mon Iero, let's go."

***

_Sometimes, Mikey doubts himself. He doubts that Gerard was really in trouble, and he doubts that he's doing the right thing by going against the law to help him. But then he gets the proof from the zonerunners: photos and transcripts and charts of the experiments they've been doing on Gerard, and he knows. He knows he has to do whatever he can to get Gerard out of the Academy._

_They meet in a blackout zone, forbidden to all but those people with the highest security clearances. Mikey has never broken the law in his life, and he's terrified of being caught. More than that, though, he's terrified of what else will happen to Gerard if he doesn't save him._

_"We can get him out and drop him somewhere safe," the zonerunners say. "The rest is up to you."_

_"How do I know I can trust you?" he asks. The zonerunner shrugs, nonchalant._

_"You don't. The question is, who do you trust less - us or the Alliance?"_

_Mikey has trusted the Alliance for most of his life. Now, between the letters from his brother and the evidence from these men, he's made the decision to commit treason in order to save his brother from them._

_Before he can answer, lights flood the blackout zone. The air around them fills with the clicks of guns being prepped to shoot. Slowly, Mikey raises his hands over his head._

***

Gerard's lying in his bed once again, but this time is nothing like the last. It's a different bed, a different place, and a different brother. The Alliance has fucked with Gerard's brain somehow, and now it's up to Mikey to take care of Gerard again. It feels like the role he was born into.

"The shot I gave you will help you sleep," he says gently, tucking Gerard into bed. Gerard sighs, looking at him through hooded eyes.

"I slept for so long..."

"Just a little while," Mikey promises. "Then we'll find a place. We'll find a safe place." Mikey wishes that safe place were Serenity, with Bob and Inara, but he's not holding out hope. Reynolds and the rest of the crew don't need Mikey's kind of trouble. Nobody does.

Gerard smiles sadly. "I didn't think you'd come for me," he says. Mikey shakes his head, and tries not to cry.

"Well, you're a dummy."

Gerard smiles again, this time for real.

***

_Jail isn't as bad as Mikey had thought it would be. It's pretty plush, actually, with all the comforts of home - all the comforts except for his brother. He's all Mikey can think about as he sits in that jail cell, and later when he argues with his father after the man bails him out._

_"Are you_ trying _to ruin this family?" his father asks._

_Mikey sighs. "I didn't know it would be this easy."_

_Once he's alone, Mikey sets up another meeting with the zonerunners. He places his money and his trust in the hands of outlaws, all in the hopes that they can save his brother. Mikey has never doubted himself more._

_Days later, Mikey packs light and leaves his family forever. He leaves them a note saying he's going to save his brother, and that they shouldn't try to contact them. Mikey knows they will, but... he wants to try to prepare them for not being able to. He feels more than a little regret for leaving his family like this, but Gerard is worth it. Their freedom, and Gerard's sanity, is worth it._

_He hitches a ride out to Persephone, and finds the zonerunners where they said they'd be. They're with a huge white box, standing guard around it. They part ways to let him see into the box, and Mikey gasps at the sight of his brother, naked and alone. Frozen. The lid is quickly closed._

_"Make sure he wakes up slowly," the man says, and goes on to explain that Gerard's body and mind need time to adjust to the change. Mikey gazes sadly at the box, wondering at his brother inside. When he asks where he should go, the man said, "Sorry, kid. That's your problem now."_

_That's the thing with zonerunners. The mission is always primary; the aftermath is secondary. But the future is bulletproof, and Gerard's fate is in Mikey's hands. He'll protect Gerard out there in the black, just like he has on the sand. All he has to do is find them a safe ship for transport._

***

Bob's alive, Gerard's safe, and Mikey doesn't know what's going to happen to them now. In the past three days, he's paid men to break his brother out of an Alliance Academy, left his family and his home, and almost let a man die after being shot because of a Fed who was after Mikey. He's watched his brother flail around like a madman, seen unmeasurable fear and pain in his brother's eyes, and watched a Fed get killed and dumped on a border planet right before his eyes.

The same captain who shot the Fed is in charge of Mikey's fate. Mikey swallows as he steps into the engine room, bumping into Jayne as the taller man shoves past and walks away.

He goes up to Reynolds, noticing dried blood and a fresh wound on his arm. The doctor in Mikey responds first.

"You need me to look at that?"

"Nah, it's just a graze." Mikey expects him to say something more, give Mikey a hint about his fate, but Reynolds is silent. Mikey's going to have to bring it up, then - find out where he and Gerard will be left to survive on their own.

The funny thing is, that was the plan from the beginning. Serenity was never going to be his home; she was just a way to get from point A to point B. But now, Mikey has gotten attached to Bob and Inara and the ship herself, and he wants stay in this point in between.

"So," he says, hiding his emotions over the situation. "Where do you plan on dumping us?"

Reynolds looks at him thoughtfully. "There's places you might be safe. You want the truth, though, you're probably safer on the move." Reynolds turns to look at him again. "And we never stop moving."

Mikey blinks at the captain, the words sinking in slowly. On the move is where he wants to be now, but would Reynolds welcome him and his brother? No; he has to have heard wrong.

"I'm confused," he says. "No, wait; I think maybe _you're_ confused."

"It may have become apparent to you that the ship could use a medic. You ain't weak. I don't know how bright you are, but you ain't weak and that's not nothing. You live by my rule, you keep your brother from doing anything crazy, you could maybe find a place here. 'til you find a better 'un."

It sounds like the perfect plan. Mikey and Gerard will be on the run with a group that wants to avoid the Alliance as much as they do, and while they're here, Mikey will get to practice his medicine. It may not be a hospital, but there are people here who could use his help. He'll earn his keep, and he'll keep Gerard out of harm's way.

But the offer is coming from Captain Malcolm Reynolds. The same man who, within the last twenty-four hours, has tried to put a bullet in his head, then almost sold him out to the Alliance, and later threatened to push him and his brother out of the airlock.

"I'm trying to put this as delicately as I can," Mikey says slowly. "How do I know you won't kill me in my sleep?"

"You don't know me, son," Reynolds says. He stands up a little straighter, putting his hands on his hips. "So let me explain this to you once: If I ever kill you, you'll be awake, you'll be facing me, and you'll be armed."

Mikey breaks out into a relieved grin. Though blunt, Reynolds is definitely being honest. He's the kind of man who lives by a code, and Mikey can trust that. "Are you always this sentimental?"

Reynolds shrugs. "Had a good day."

Mikey has to evaluate this. "You had the Alliance on you, criminals and savages... half the people on the ship have been shot or wounded, including yourself, and you're harboring known fugitives."

"We're still flying," Reynolds says simply. Mikey shakes his head.

"That's not much."

Reynolds doesn't seem to be listening. He gazes out the window into the vast blackness of space, and nods to himself.

"It's enough."

The aftermath may be secondary, but then again, it may not be so bad.

***

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't have done this without my amazing beta reader, [frakkin_addict](http://frakkin-addict.livejournal.com/). This story wouldn't be half of what it is without her help.
> 
> This piece of fiction was originally published on AO3 on July 30, 2012. Publication date given indicates original publishing date on LiveJournal.


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